Page 6 of Forking the Billionaire

“Yes.”

He shoved his hands in his pockets and took in our surroundings, from the narrow windows that needed to be custom built to fit the original shape to the reclaimed wood used to frame the door. Every detail was both a modernization and an homage to the building’s rich history.

The tight expression on his face remained the same. If he had thoughts on my work, he didn’t show them. Instead, I deciphered that he wanted to tell me something, but he was still working out the right words. I didn’t mind waiting.

“Want to see more of Brenda?” I asked.

The slight raise of his brow told me he was curious before he opened his mouth to respond.

“Why chooseBrenda?”

The emphasis in his question made a lightbulb go off in my head.

Gabriel knew I gave all of my project houses women’s names. There was no question I’d do the same with this fine lady with her wraparound porch and lovely pillars. What he really wanted to know was if I’d named her after Brenda Mitchell.

I hadn’t thought about Brenda Mitchell in at least ten years. I certainly hadn’t named a house after her.

“The name means sword. The shape of the nails holding her front door together were uniquely sword-shaped. I kept a couple. They’re back at my place if you’d like to see.”

Lines formed on his forehead. “It has nothing to do with the girl who lived down the street from us when we were kids?”

“Why would I name a house after the girl who gave you your first kiss?”

“Brenda Mitchell was your first kiss, too.”

She wasn’t, actually. But I couldnevertell Gabriel that.

I grinned and shook my head. “It’s just a name.”

“All right.”

“So about that tour….”

“Sure. Show me more of Brenda.”

“Railing here is custom, made by a guy in the mountains who sources all of his wood locally.” I ran my finger over the rail as I headed up the stairs. “He’s spent a lifetime finetuning his craft.”

“It shows,” Gabriel said.

Upstairs, I gestured toward the shell of what would be the primary bedroom. “There are some adjustments needed with the plumbing before we can move forward here. This is the primary. Both the secondary bedroom and the study are further along.”

“The colors in the finished rooms are nice,” Gabriel said. “Very…warm.”

“Brenda’s inviting,” I told him. “Always was.”

“Mm,” he said, noncommittally.

“After her restoration’s complete, everyone will be able to see how beautiful she’s always been.”

As we went back downstairs, I could feel the weight of his intense attention on my back. Whatever had brought him here, whatever he wanted to say, was almost done baking.

We’d been friends for fifteen years, ever since I moved in next door to him when I was twelve and he was fourteen. He’d always been reserved, except for those rare moments when he let down his guard. Everything always needed to be precise with him, including the words he chose, like the stakes in every part of his life were impossibly high.

“Fireplace in the living room is killer,” I said, leading him that way.

“Jasper.”

I stopped walking and turned to face him. His brown eyes flashed with intensity. Whatever he was about to tell me, it was big.

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